Combined cut-out and lightning-arrester for telephone systems.



H. S. WHEATON. ND LlGHTNlNG ARRESTER FOR TELEPHONE SYSTEMS. APPLICATION'HLED MAY 3.1916.

COMBINED GUT-OUT A 'Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

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7731/ attori/Mao H. S. WHEATON. COMBINED CUT-OUT AND L|GHTN|NG ARRESTER FoR TELEPHONE SYSTEMS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 3,19I6.

1,212,300. Patented Jan. 16,1917.

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Y current from HARRY SPENCER WHEATON, 0F DALLAS, IOWA.

COMBINED CUT-OUT AND LIGHTNING-ARRESTER FORl TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Application filed May 3, 1916. Serial No. 95,137.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY S. WHEATON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Marion, State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Combined Cut-Out and Lightning-Arrester for Telephone Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

his invention relates to an improved combined cut-out, and lightning arrester for telephone systems, and an object of the invention is to provide an improved device of this design having simple, eiicient and practical features of construction.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character having means, whereby the telephone may be thrown out of circuit and the arrester remain in circuit.

It has been found that, during electrical storms and other electrical disturbances in the higher stratas of the atmosphere, it is very dangerous to use telephones, owing to the liability of receiving shocks.

Therefore it is another object of the invention, to provide an improved device for cutting out the telephone instrument from the line Wires, so that the charge or electrical the atmosphere will be transmitted through a series of resistance mem bers and transferred to the ground, thereby avoiding accidents occuring to the users of the telephone.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitate alterations, falling within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved combined cutout and lightning arrester toy telephones. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 ofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view in elevation and partly in section of the improved controlling lever for cutting the device into and out of circuit. Fig. 6 is perspective views of parts of the plates 6 and 6, 7 and 7, and 8 and 8'L showing the wires. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring for the combined cutout and lightning arrester for telephone systems, showing the parts of the arrester partially separated disassembled.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 designates a plate, which may be constructed of brass or any other suitable metal, and 'which is provided with a screw 2, whereby the plate may be fastened to any suitable stationary support, or upon the box frame of the telephone, or in close vicinity thereto.

Arranged adjacent the plate 1 is a body of hard rubber or insulating material 3. A plurality of elongated bolts 4 (which are provided with tubes or coatings or sleeves of insulating material or rubber) is provided, and which are passed through the plate 1 and the body or member of insulation 3, and also through the conducting plates 6 and 6C, 7 and 7, and 8 and 8*. The plates 6 and 6c are connected by a transverse wire or lead 6, while the plate 6c on the right is connected by a wire or lead 6* to the lower right hand plate 7*, from which a wire or lead 16a extends designed to be grounded in any suitable manner. The main line wire 38et is connected to the plate 7. A lead or wire 16 is connected to a terminal member 16c1 (which is coperated with by a part of the receiver hook). This wire or lead 16 is in turn connected at 17c to the wire or lead 40. Thus, it will be seen that when the terminals 20 and 2l are in contact, the bell of the local phone may be rung by reason of being in circuit with the main line. The plates 8 and 8a are provided with wires or leads 17a and Arranged between the plates 6 and 6, and 7 and 7 a, are blocks of carbon 10 and 10, and 1l and 11. The upper carbon blocks 10 and l0a are held separated by strips or plates of mica 12 and 12.

Extending vertically with` its upper part between the blocks of carbon 10 and 10, and its lower portion between the carbon blocks 11 and l1Il and between the adjacent edges of the plates or strips of mica 12 and 12a is a conducting plate 13, the lower edge of which terminates a short interval below the under surface of the carbon blocks il and 11.v The upper portion of the e-.Jnfluctor plate 13 is made integral with a' horizontal conductor plate 13", which spans from the plate 6 to the opposite plate 6, there b ng a space between the two plates 6 and 6 to which a restricted part or tongue 13b of the body of insulation 3 extends. As shown in the drawings, the adjacent edges of the plates 7 and 7 and 8 and 8* respectively are spaced apart. As will be clearly observed the upper plates 7 and 7UL and the plates S and 3a are held separated by the tber oi' insulating plates or members 15, through which and through the plates 7 and 72L and S and 3a the screws 4 extend, so as to hold the various parts together. rthe lower ends of the bolts 4 are provided with nuts 18, to hold the parts in position. 13 and the plates 3 and 3l aie insulating washers 18u. rllhe end portions 19 ot the plates 7 and 7;l and 8 and 3 are constructed to provide the contact terminals Q0 and 21, which are i,fieldable. However, the contact terminals 21 are more yicldable than the terminals 20. rlhe terminals 21 are curved as shown at 22 and Q3, thereby forming crotches 24.

rEhe plate 1 at one end is provided with a slot Q5 and downwardly extending ears 26, which are disposed upon opposite sides ot said slots. A lever 28 is pivoted upon a pin 29, which is mounted in bearings ot the ears 2G. rlhe upper portion ot' the lever terminates in a handle 30, and extending laterally in opposite directions trom the lower end of the lever 23 are sleeve bosses 33, in which a pin 34 is mounted, there being rollers 35 upon the opposite end of said in. Vhen the lever is moved in the direction of the arrow o, the rollers 35 (which are constructed ot' insulating material) cam against the terminal contacts 21, until the rollers engage the crotches 24, thereby throwing the contacts 21 in engagement with the terminal contacts 20, and holding them in contact, in which case the telephone is in service with the main line wire. However, in case of an electrical disturbance in the atmosphere, the lever may be moved in the opposite direction, disengaging the rollers ifrom the crotches 24 and the terminal contact 21, whereby the terminal contacts 20 and Z1 will automatically separate, thereby cutting out the telephone circuit from the service or main line. As shown in Fig. 7, there is a receiver 39 illustrated supported by the unusual receiver hook, and eX- tcnding from the receiver 39 is a wire or lead 40, which connects at 49 to the telephone bell 51. The wire or lead 17at of the plate 8 connects to the receiver hook, while the wire or lead 17 from the plate S connects at 17b to the telephone bell 51.Y The wire 16' (which is connected to the plate 7a) is connected to the ground at 53. Also connected to the receiver 39 is a wire 41, which in turn connects to the secondary coils 42, which in turn are connected to the ground, as shown at 45. A transmitter 50 is pro vided, which is connected to the primary coils 43 by :means et the wire or lead 48. rEhe primary coils 43 are in turn connected by the wire or lead 44 to the battery 46, which in turn is connected to the transmitter Between the nuts inieoo 50 by the wire or lead 47. is before stated, when the terminals 20 and 21 are separated, the telephone circuit is out oi' circuit with the service or main line 38, and it will be observed that any lightning discharges that may be received or conducted on the inain or service line, will be carried to the groundby virtue o' the resistance means. For instance, in case ot' a lightning discharge being of a low frequency, it will jump from the carbon resistance member 11 to the carbon resistance member 10, across the insulating mica 12, and in coming in contact with the conductor plate 6, will escapetothe ground over the wires 6 and 6b, and the wire 16a. Should the frequency be high, the self-induction ofthe sharp turn between the wires 6 and 6l will more or less arc the impedance ot charge, and the resistance carbons 10L and 11a with the carbons 10 and 11 form the surfaces over which this arcing will take place. The plates 6 and 6C are securely electrically joined by the wire or lead tia. ril`his is done to guarantee a satisfactory contact between the upper portion 13L of the T- plate and the conductor-plates 6 andGC, the assumption being that neither of the plates 6 and 6c may not be more or less in good contact with the T-shaped plate. `However, when the terminal contacts 2O and 21 are again closed, by throwing the lever 28, the telephone circuit is againin circuit with the main or service line, hence it will be observed, the course'ot the circuit, when the receiver 39 is removed from its hook, by tracing over the various wires, from the battery, to the secondary and primary coils, hence, to the receiver, and over the plate 7 and 7, and 8 and E56-,to the ground, and to the telephone, 'not liown, at the other end of the line. The current, in passing over the wire 40, from the receiver, divides at 17, a portion going over the wire 17a, over the plates 8 and 7 over the main line 332L to the other telephone at the other end ofthe line, the other portion of the 'current passing to the b'ell 51 over the wires 17 to the plates 8a and 7, tothe ground over the wire 16a, to the telephone, not shown, at the other end of the line. 1t will be noted that the current, when the teleplione'is in service, is prevented from enteringthe resistance members owing to the insulating mica strips 12 and 12a, and owing to the current being steady and direct.

rllhe invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is 1- 1. A combined cut-out and lightning arrester comprising a plate, an insulating body member adjacent thereto, plates adjacent the under part of the body, two sets 'of conducting plates, one set having connections with the main line 'and the ground, the other set having connection vto Athe wires ot a telephone receiver and bell, means for insulating the plates of one set from the plates of the other set, a series of resistance members between the ground and the main line connected plates vand the plates adjacent the insulating body, insulated means extending through the rst plate, the body, the plates adjacent the under part of said body and the two sets of plates for holding the parts together, the two sets of plates having yieldable terminal contacts, and means for throwing said contacts in and out of engagement.

2. A combined out-out and lightning arrester comprising a plate, an insulating body member1 adjacent thereto, plates adjacent the under part of the body, two sets of conducting plates, one set having connections with the main line and the ground, the other set having connections to the wires of a telephone receiver and bell, means for insulating the plates of one set from the plates of the other set, a series of resistance members between the ground and the main line connected plates and the plates adjacent the insulating body, insulated means extending through the iirst plate, the body, the plates adjacent the under part of said body and the two sets of plates for holding the parts together, the two sets of plates having yieldable terminal contacts, and means for throwing said contacts in and out of engagement, said operating means comprising a lever having rollers at its lower end, the upper terminal contacts having crotch portions to receive said rollers, said resistance means comprising upper and lower sets of carbon members, and a plate between the upper carbon members and extending between the lower carbon members.

In testimony whereof IA have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARR)7 SPENCER WHEATON. Witnesses:

.Cima W. NOBLE, M. D.

J. T. LACKEY.

Washington, D. C. 

